When we bought a winter home in Green Valley AZ. in 2007 it didn’t take me long to realize that I couldn’t spend half of the year without a shop. The problems were that there wasn’t any space for one except the semi-enclosed carport and it’s hard to justify the price of “two of everything” good quality tools.

This blog is about the solution I arrived at. For starters here’s the space I had to work with.

The bench is 26” x 8’ and the cabinet behind it is 30” x 8’. There is a 30” square area behind the cabinet that houses a mobile tool caddy. The DC takes up 30” x 4’. Total is fifty-three square feet. The little building behind the cabinet and the DC is the laundry room.

The other side has a small lumber storage area and a couple of saw horses. They take up about 20 square feet. You can still park two cars in the carport.

In the laundry room I have a 6’ x 6’ marquetry shop. The total occupied space with tools put away is 109 square feet.

Looks like a first class setup. I know what you mean about not being able to spend half of the year without a shop. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Before I built my current shop I also worked out of a carport for nearly two years…I guess we just make do with what we have at the time. It is not the shop that creates..but it is the person.

Paul,One of the realities of a good woodworker is to have a good workshop however I agree with Greg’s… It is not the shop that creates..but it is the person. and to me… you are the person who have the shop that creates wonderful marquetry that in my honest opinion… you can create more than your shop capabilities like doing tools of your own style, shipbuilding, and much more. Keep it up and looking ahead to find out what tools you have in those drawers.

Mega dittos on Bert’s comments. You demostrate something my Dad told me years ago: “It’s not so much the tools you have as what you do with the tools you have.” I admire your talent and creativity. You continue to be an inspiration to me personally. Thank you for the time you spend in posting your projects and sharing your accomplishments.

You are living MY dream, you live in a beautiful place in Canada and spend your winter in Arizona. People have asked why we do not go south ? I would like to get away from the cold, THE BIG question is what to do for 6 months ? You have answered that. Keep posting your work, we enjoy it very much ! Thanks